


By Whose Command

by firefly_quill



Series: We're all Blackwatch Now [2]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blackwatch Era, Blackwatch Genji Shimada, Blackwatch Jesse McCree, Blackwatch Reaper | Gabriel Reyes, Canon-Typical Violence, Explicit Sexual Content, M/M, Pre-Uprising, Public Sex, SO MUCH TEASING, but only in the second chapter, sorry it's just a lot of teasing in the first chapter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-22
Updated: 2017-10-28
Packaged: 2019-01-21 05:00:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12450156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/firefly_quill/pseuds/firefly_quill
Summary: Jesse continues his mission to recruit Hanzo for Blackwatch.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone,
> 
> I've been staring at this for far too long, and still have a few reservations about the pacing here (probably because its predecessor works so well as a one-shot, and I wanted to press the plot a bit). This story happens immediately after "In Whose Authority", and references are made to this previous episode. This is my first try at a full-on sequel, and I would love to hear you thoughts on whether it is a believable second segment of this story arc! Thank you for reading! <3

Sometimes, Jesse McCree was convinced that life was out to get him. Mostly, he just sat back and marveled at his luck. It was definitely an occasion for the latter, he decided, as he made his way to meet Hanzo at their agreed upon destination.

Captain Amari's distraction had allowed him to commandeer a small jet, which Athena agreed to release, after being provided with Morrison's authorization codes (freshly stolen several weeks ago during a dare that Genji had resolutely lost).

The comm on the jet's dash board began to blink the moment Jesse had set the vehicle to auto-pilot. He waited until he was safely in the air before answering.

Reyes' scowl flickered to life on the screen.

" _Jefe,_ " Jesse drawled.

"Don't _Jefe._ me, you piece of shit," Reyes growled. "Get back here so I can kick your ass properly." 

"Sorry, can't do that."

"What." 

"Mission's not done," Jesse answered airily.

Reyes frowned, but leaned forward with interest nonetheless. "Mission? You mean Shimada?"

"Got his phone number. Meeting tomorrow evening," McCree confirmed with a sly grin.

Jesse knew the silence that followed was Reyes trying to decide which was stronger: his desire to enact violence or his desire to recruit Hanzo. 

"Come on, boss, you want him," Jesse prodded.

Reyes snorted. "No. *You* want him."

"Can't argue with ya there...but we could use him in Blackwatch. And who knows, maybe Genji even stops sulking."

"Like that'll ever happen," Reyes rolled his eyes. "You talk like him joining is a sure thing." 

"It isn't. But let me try. One month."

"One week."

"Hey now, that's not how negotiating works," Jesse complained. 

"We're already short-handed! You can't just go on a month-long paid fuck fest!" 

"It's a *mission*. You sent me on it." 

"So *do it*." Reyes stiffened even as he said the words. McCree smirked at the innuendo.

"Don't fuck with me right now," his commander warned. 

"Alright, alright," Jesse put his hands up in surrender. "But this'll take time get right." 

Jesse had realized this shortly after he his first evening with the man, knowing now how strong-willed, confident, hard-muscled—and oops, this was moving rapidly in the wrong direction. Jesse shook the thought from his head. 

Gabe frowned, reading between the lines and knowing exactly what had distracted him. 

"One week."

"Boss, winnin' over a man like that's gonna take more than a week." 

"Wipe that look off your face," Reyes barked crossly. Jesse realized he was still smiling dreamily. "One week. That's...what..."

There was a rustling from off screen. Gabe looked like he was trying to resist getting shoved out of the way. 

"Jesus, Ana what the—shit!" Gabe yelped, and fell out of view. Ana popped up from the bottom of the screen in his place with a smug smile, suggesting that Reyes had his legs swept out from under him.

"Habibi. Take two weeks. That's all I can offer. I'll make sure he signs off on it." 

"Thank you kindly, ma'am," Jesse tipped his hat with a grin. 

"Stay outta my business, Amari!" Gabe roared off screen. Ana shuffled and Reyes gave an undignified grunt. Jesse guessed that she was standing on his chest. 

"And be careful, Jesse," her eyes softened. "I don't want to see you hurt." 

Jesse dismissed the concern with a nonchalant wave. "Won't be anything that Ange can't patch up." 

"Yes, I hope not," Ana murmured. "Amari out." 

\--- 

Jesse arrived at the address he had been provided without trouble. It was a small apartment just outside London: not necessarily posh, but expensive-looking enough, being inside the city. 

During the flight, Jesse had considered his game plan carefully, and decided that it would be best to be direct with Hanzo. The archer didn't look like the type to put up with bullshit. Jesse recognized this from observing the many others in his life who were the same way.

Rolling his shoulders back to get rid of his usual, easy slouch, he knocked on the door. Hanzo opened it and greeted him pleasantly. 

"Ah, good, you are here. I was just getting ready."

Just before Jesse could ask what the man had been getting ready for, he saw the thick, silken ropes hanging loosely in his hands. 

"Well, fuck," was all McCree managed, before he was pulled into the room by the archer’s firm grip. Hanzo's lips stopped him from saying anything more. 

\---

An hour later, "being direct" had yet to happen. 

\---

An hour after that, Jesse forgot what he was supposed to be direct about. 

\---

Three hours after Jesse arrived, he was lying face down on a pillow in a boneless heap, mouth hanging open, drooling freely. His body was on its side and curled in, just enough so that the archer could wrap himself securely around him from behind. 

"Small spoon," Jesse mumbled into the pillow as the thought occurred to him. 

"What was that?" Hanzo purred. 

"Small spoon's nice." He tilted his head so he could be heard, and snuggled back further to emphasize his point. 

"Hn," Hanzo hummed, ghosting a kiss on the nape of his neck. He ran a hand just as lightly along Jesse's side, dancing over the fresh marks on his shoulder and back. Jesse shivered. Just like the first time, Hanzo had known exactly what he wanted, and had taken it. Yet, also like the first time, he had also been careful, empathetic—doting, even. He somehow just _knew_ how to reduce Jesse to a mewling mess right away, but was equally quick to make sure it was alright, to back off if he felt he was pushing too fast. Jesse had never been with anyone this attentive in all his life.

He turned as another thought struck him so hard it needed to be spoken out loud right away, wincing as he moved too fast to do so. 

"How are you feeling?" Hanzo brushed a strand of hair from Jesse's face, and peered at him with genuine concern. The look the archer was giving him set off a spark in his chest, affecting him much harder than any of what they'd done earlier, and strengthening Jesse's resolve. 

"Come with me," he blurted out. 

Hanzo raised an eyebrow. 

"To Overwatch. Blackwatch. Anything, just come with me." 

It was then, after he had asked, that Jesse remembered this was _actually_ why he was here in the first place. The idea had slipped out independent of the mission. He swallowed hard.

_Well, shit._

Hanzo huffed, amused. "This is our second meeting, and you are already asking me to kill for you?" 

"Kill _with _me," Jesse corrected with some humor, trying hard (not for the first or last time) to regain some dignity. "Key difference."__

__Hanzo snorted, and leaned in to nuzzle at Jesse's hair instead of replying, holding him until they both fell asleep._ _

__\---_ _

__The next morning, Jesse woke up alone, and panic constricted his throat. He scrambled clumsily off of the bed, still a bit sore from last night, despite the attentive aftercare and coddling he had received from Hanzo. He checked the bathroom first, before stumbling out into the kitchen. Not a soul._ _

__"Shit shit shit," he muttered, running a hand through his tousled hair and pacing around the room. Jesse had completely forgotten about Gabe’s fury from the day before, until his comm began to ping. Even then, McCree didn't hear it right away, too preoccupied with running the events of the previous night through his head. Had he said something wrong? Or was this always how it was going to be every time they met? He remembered again the care with which Hanzo had treated him, the concern in his eyes. He wondered whether once again, he had been foolish to think that it meant something more._ _

__Jesse finally registered the insistent beeping noise, and rummaged through his bag to find his comm. He put it to his ear and accepted the call._ _

__"Listen, boss, I know—"_ _

__"Not Reyes," Genji's voice cut in to stop him. McCree swallowed hard._ _

___Shit._ _ _

__Jesse forced a smile, hoping it would come through on the phone. "What can I do for ya, pardner?"_ _

__There was a moment of pure static, and McCree worried he had lost reception._ _

__"Did you find him?" Came the abrupt and sudden reply._ _

__"Yeah," Jesse swallowed again, hoping that the cyborg ninja did not want details._ _

__"Is he…"_ _

__"He's fine, yeah," Jesse answered the question that Genji couldn't quite bring himself to asking._ _

__"Good." There was definitely a short sigh of relief, which reminded McCree again that his friend was worried for his brother. "McCree..."_ _

__There was another long pause. Jesse waited it out._ _

__"Look, my family was fucked up," Genji huffed a sigh, and Jesse noted that it sounded much like Hanzo's. "We weren't raised to love each other, but I always felt like, despite all the shit that happened, he did."_ _

__Jesse thought back to the photo that Gabe had shown him, how Hanzo's affection was evident even despite the bad quality of the photograph, but also, how carefully the photograph and been kept._ _

__"When he turned on me…it couldn't have been him," Genji struggled to explain. "It was his hand on the blade, but it had to have been someone else's decision. That he went after them after I'd gone proves it."_ _

__Jesse wasn't quite sure why Genji was telling him all this, and perhaps Genji didn't know either. It was just something that he had to get off his chest._ _

__"What I mean, is…I want my brother back, McCree. But it's not going to be easy. As much as it hurt, it could not have been easy for him either. And as shit as I am at dealing with emotions, he's worse."_ _

__"What do you need, Genji?" Jesse asked simply._ _

__"Not me," Genji huffed another sigh. "Him. He needs someone, and it can't be me."_ _

__Jesse blinked, trying to piece together what Genji was saying._ _

__"So…is this you givin' me your blessing or some shit like—"_ _

__"Fuck off," The ninja snapped. "This is me saying be…patient with him. My brother has never been very good with relationships, but has always been very good at pushing people away. It is something I regret not seeing earlier.”_ _

__Genji’s paused again._ _

__“You’ll get the chance to make up for it,” Jesse offered, recognizing what the silence meant. “You both will.”_ _

__“I hope so. He is nothing if not stubborn. A family trait, perhaps,” Genji snorted. “But if you are able to convince him to come with you, I will endeavor to be patient as well."_ _

__"I'll hold you to that," Jesse promised, finally figuring out the last piece of the puzzle. Genji was struggling between his feelings of betrayal and the desire to help his brother. Someone had to make sure he did the latter._ _

__"Good." The tension in Genji's voice lessened ever so slightly. Jesse wondered whether this was the first time the ninja had spoken to anyone in this topic. He guessed it might be._ _

__There was another short silence._ _

__"McCree."_ _

__"Somethin' else on your mind?"_ _

__"…just what is my brother to yo—"_ _

__"Shit he's back gotta go!" Jesse hung up instantly._ _

__Hanzo had not actually returned, of course, but _that_ was definitely a conversation McCree did not want to start. _ _

__He slumped down onto the couch, lost again in his thoughts. He was interrupted again, this time by a key at the door._ _

__Hanzo entered with several grocery bags and two cups of coffee. Both men looked equally shocked to see each other._ _

__"Oh. I did not expect you to be awake." Hanzo's surprise seemed genuine. The anxiety eating at Jesse's chest dissipated right away. He flashed the archer a winning smile, and stood to help with the bags, but the archer waved him away._ _

__"Sit," he commanded, placing the bags on the kitchen counter. He thrust a coffee cup and several packets of cream and sugar at Jesse._ _

__"Thank you kindly," Jesse accepted the cup with both hands, taking in the aroma with his eyes closed._ _

__"How do you feel?" Hanzo inquired. His sharp eyes examined the gunslinger for any kind of pain or injury. He reached up to run his hand through Jesse's hair, tilting his chin to get a better look. Jesse blushed under the attention._ _

__"Bit sore, but right as rain," Jesse reported with a grin. He leaned forward into Hanzo's touch. "You take such good care of me, honeybee."_ _

__"You exaggerate."_ _

__Hanzo reached into a smaller paper bag and took out a breakfast sandwich and hashbrowns. Jesse's entire face lit up as he was handed the food._ _

__"You're doin' a bad job of provin' me wrong." Jesse unwrapped the sandwich and bit into it happily._ _

__Hanzo only snorted in reply. He took a seat beside Jesse at the counter and sipped his beverage._ _

__"Have you heard from your organization?" The question was delivered casually enough, but Jesse sensed some trepidation behind it._ _

__"Yeah. They ain't thrilled with me." That much wasn't a lie, at least._ _

__Hanzo hummed thoughtfully. "So what will you do?"_ _

__"Give it some time, wait for the boss to calm down some. It's not the worst thing, I've done, after all," Jesse chuckled._ _

__Hanzo raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"_ _

__"This one time…"_ _

__Talking with Hanzo was surprisingly easy. The man was a good listener, asking for details to Jesse's wild stories at just the right time, laughing or expressing sympathy when it was called for. They shared tales of their past adventures for the better part of an hour, and Jesse didn't even notice the time fly by._ _

__"That Blackwatch continues to employ you is truly a mystery," Hanzo had just replied wryly to the story of how he had set a hostage on fire as part of his rescue tactic._ _

__"I get the job done," Jesse pointed out. "And I wasn't the one about to jump into a room full of Yakuza bosses by myself."_ _

__"You absolutely did jump into that room by yourself," Hanzo reminded him._ _

__"Naw, I had backup," he winked at the archer. "And I knew more was comin'. *You* were gonna jump in by your lonesome."_ _

__Hanzo snorted. "I could have handled it."_ _

__"But we handled it better together," Jesse leaned forward to purr. "We make a great team, sweetheart."_ _

__"Hn." The sound was noncommittal._ _

__"You gotta admit that much is true," Jesse pressed._ _

__"Purely coincidence."_ _

__The quirk at the corners of the archer's lips suggested he was at least partially joking, which soothed Jesse's initial heartbreak._ _

__"Ain't so. Let me prove it to you."_ _

__Hanzo raised an eyebrow._ _

__"Well, you got things you're wantin' to do," Jesse explained. "Let me help."_ _

__Jesse wondered belatedly how Reyes would feel about him potentially assisting with murder or terrorist acts, if that was what Hanzo asked of him. He shrugged it off (he'd shrugged off worse, after all, in the name of the true mission)._ _

__Hanzo huffed, arriving at the same thought. "I doubt that helping a former oyabun will improve your commander's opinion of you."_ _

__Jesse grinned. "You just let me take care of that detail. Gettin' you on my side is worth any punishment Reyes can dish out."_ _

__Hanzo gave him an appraising look that was tinged with something that McCree couldn't quite read yet. He was surprised that Hanzo genuinely seemed to be considering his offer._ _

__"Alright," the archer said finally. Jesse jumped up from his bar stool, and winced just as quickly from the sharp pain that shot through his shoulder muscles._ _

__Hanzo frowned. He moved to stand behind Jesse, sliding his deft hands over Jesse's trapezoidal muscles on either side of his neck. Jesse gave an involuntary moan._ _

__"We will need to give you some time to recover, it seems," Hanzo murmured low into Jesse's left ear._ _

__Jesse flushed pink and shook his head vehemently. "Naw, ain't nothin' I can't handle."_ _

__Hanzo's chuckle puffed softly against the side of his ear, the shock from it reverberating through his entire body. Jesse shivered._ _

__"Better to be safe than sorry," Hanzo murmured. "There are of course other options we might explore."_ _

__Hanzo pressed a kiss to his shoulder before stalking towards the bedroom. Jesse scrambled to follow._ _

__\---_ _

__Jesse woke up the next morning less sore, but still alone on the bed. He grumbled incoherently, forbidding himself from panicking, given how the archer had not been that far away the day before. They hadn't spent _that_ much time in bed (in that they actually made it to the living room before the second round of blow jobs started). They had spent the day indoors, but mostly because Hanzo had insisted that Jesse rest, and had devoted his entire time to taking care the gunslinger. Jesse couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so cared for, and the sentiment bloomed, a warm, pleasant feeling in his chest._ _

__He made his way to the kitchen to find the archer scrambling eggs._ _

__"Mornin'," he walked up behind Hanzo, snaking his arm around the other man._ _

__"Hn," Hanzo did not visibly react, but Jesse could fell him leaning back into his embrace. "How are you feeling?"_ _

__"Much better. Thank you kindly," Jesse purred._ _

__Hanzo nodded, tilting his head slightly so that Jesse could press more kisses against his neck._ _

__He plated the food, and Jesse helped to carry it to the table._ _

__“Will you be ready to begin tomorrow?” Hanzo asked, eyes still on his omelette._ _

__Jesse blinked._ _

__“You offered to help me,” Hanzo explained._ _

__“Oh!” Jesse sat at attention. He grinned. “Of course. What’d you have in mind, honeybee?”_ _

__Hanzo huffed at the nickname. “When my father’s estate was divided, something was taken from me. While I managed to secure a good amount of funds, this item is irreplaceable. We will visit my cousin to get it back.”_ _

__“Doesn’t sound so hard,” Jesse said between bites._ _

__“My cousin is the most current leader of the Shimada-gumi,” Hanzo added wryly._ _

__“Piece of cake,” Jesse repeated._ _

__“And she wears this item on her person always,” Hanzo continued._ _

__“Stop, now you’re just teasin’ to make it seem like more fun,” Jesse grinned even wider._ _

__Hanzo scoffed at his enthusiasm._ _

__“So what is this thing that’s so irreplaceable?”_ _

__“A kaizen. A short knife. It belonged to my mother. My father gave it to her as a gift when they were courting,” Hanzo reminisced with a small smile. “She promptly stabbed him in the hand to test his resolve.”_ _

__Jesse blinked. “Is that how it normally works in your family?”_ _

__‘We each of us have our own tests,” Hanzo answered nonchalantly._ _

__“Have I passed yours yet, sweetpea?” Jesse leaned forward to purr._ _

__Hanzo leaned across the table until he was close enough to lick Jesse’s ear._ _

__“You will know when you do,” he whispered in a tone that was equal parts seductive and lethal._ _

__Jesse swallowed and felt all his blood rush downward. Hanzo’s eyes slid down to observe his work, and he retreated with an amused huff._ _

__“We have a few preparations to make, and will leave tomorrow. She is visiting some of the family’s remaining acquisitions in Paris.”_ _

__“Darlin’, you take me to the nicest places,” Jesse hummed._ _

__\---_ _

__They arrived in Paris by train, and took a taxi to their elegant, modern hotel, located across the street from Palais Garnier, the opera house. Jesse whistled low when they arrived at their room._ _

__“You sure know how to treat a man right. Can’t say I’ve been in a nicer room in my entire life, sweetheart.”_ _

__Meanwhile, Hanzo was settling in like a duck in water. He had already changed into the provided slippers and robe, and was sipping a bottle of mineral water while considering their excellent view. “It features in our plan.”_ _

__“And maybe after?” Jesse leaned in to hook his chin over Hanzo’s shoulder._ _

__“Perhaps,” Hanzo hummed. “Depending on your performance.”_ _

__“Now you know my performance is always superb, sugarplum,” Jesse nipped happily at the archer’s neck. He yelped in surprise when Hanzo spun and grasped him by the waist._ _

__“Work before play,” he breathed against Jesse’s neck. The gunslinger shivered with delight. “But I suppose we have a few hours yet.”_ _

__An hour later, they were naked, sprawled side by side on the bed as Hanzo attempted to go over the plan._ _

__He smacked Jesse’s hand hard when it tried to go over something else._ _

__“Sweetpea,” Jesse whimpered theatrically._ _

__“Focus,” Hanzo reprimanded with sharpness that was more playful than stern. “My cousin, Sachiko, arrives at her family apartments tomorrow afternoon. They just happen to be across the street from our room. I suspect we have two options. Either isolate her and take the knife by force, or steal it without her knowledge.”_ _

__“You say she wears it all the time,” Jesse mused. “How’s it worn?”_ _

__“In public, she wears it under her clothes.”_ _

__“How far under we talkin’ about?”_ _

__Hanzo gave him a look._ _

__Jesse shrugged. “Just wonderin’ whether I’d have to—“_ _

__“That is not an option,” Hanzo snapped, with some possessiveness, Jesse noted with delight. “Suffice to say, far enough. Besides, she might recognize you from Tokyo, remember.”_ _

__“So maybe some old-fashioned thievery then,” Jesse suggested._ _

__“That would be easiest,” Hanzo agreed._ _

__“I’ve got a few suggestions then, if you’re lookin’…”_ _

__Hanzo smiled deviously. “By all means. We might also consider finding you more suitable clothing.”_ _

__“What’s wrong with what I got?”_ _

__“Everything. Come. Get dressed.”_ _

__A couple hours later, they were standing in a small clothes shop on a minor Parisian street, quickly accumulating a pile of fine, expensive clothes._ _

__“This is too much,” Jesse protested._ _

__“Nonsense.” Hanzo was dismissive. “You can’t be seen wandering in the same suit the entire week.”_ _

__The way his eyes lingered appreciatively over Jesse’s chest and ass suggested the true reason for the purchases._ _

__“I thought the idea was not to be seen at all,” Jesse tried again, blushing under Hanzo’s attention._ _

__Hanzo ignored him, and instead began to converse with the elderly salesperson rapidly in French. The man nodded, and left presumably to get what Hanzo had asked for._ _

__Jesse shifted awkwardly in the wool pants and fine collared shirt._ _

__“You do not like it?” While the archer’s voice was neutral, Jesse sensed some anxiety in the words._ _

__“Naw, I’ve just never owned anything like this,” Jesse answered honestly. “And I doubt I’m even worth the cost of the fabric.”_ _

__“Do not be foolish,” Hanzo snapped. He blinked once and collected himself. “I do not want to make you uncomfortable. We do not have to do this if you do not want to.”_ _

__“It’s not that,” Jesse assured him. “I just don’t want to put you out too much.”_ _

__“Do not worry about that,” Hanzo shrugged it off. “We’re putting the money to better use than they would.”_ _

__Jesse had suspected the money’s origins. He grinned. “Alright, if you insist, sweetheart.”_ _

__“Good.” Hanzo nodded in approval. He turned to look at a rack of belts so that Jesse barely heard his reply._ _

__“You are worth far more than anything that can be bought.”_ _

__Jesse felt his face heat up even more. He was about to respond, but was interrupted as the salesman returned with a tray of silk ties._ _

__Hanzo turned to look at the selection, and picked up a rich red tie, decorated with a simple line design done in subtle yellow thread. He turned to Jesse._ _

__Jesse nodded. “I like that one. But only if I can get you that matching gold one there.”_ _

__“You don’t have to do that.”_ _

__“Course I do. It matches your ribbon,” Jesse insisted._ _

__Hanzo picked up the tie and inspected it before handing both ties to the salesperson._ _

__“Permettez-moi,” Jesse extended a hand and gestured to the golden tie. The salesperson seemed to understand. He smiled and nodded, taking the tie to be wrapped and charged separately._ _

__Hanzo raised an eyebrow._ _

__“You pick up a few things on the road,’ Jesse grinned. He turned to his side to inspect his figure, realizing he did clean up nice. The look Hanzo was giving him confirmed it. “So, you always treat your partners this good?”_ _

__“I do not have partners.” Hanzo continued to admire Jesse’s body without shame._ _

__Jesse frowned. “Sounds lonely.”_ _

__“Not the life I asked for, perhaps, but it is the life that I deserve.”_ _

__Jesse hadn’t been expecting such honesty. Even though Hanzo did not seem particularly bothered by his own statement, Jesse’s heart went out to the man anyway._ _

__“Maybe we can change that,” he offered._ _

__Hanzo snorted. “We shall see.”_ _

__\---_ _

__Three days later, they had established Sachiko’s routine. They decided they would put their plan into action two days after that. A day before that was to happen, the mission started anyway._ _

__Jesse had noted the way Hanzo eyed a bakery they walked past every morning during their reconnaissance missions, but the man always refused to go in. Jesse decided to take matters into his own hands. He had narrowed it down to three pastries, when Sachiko walked in with two guards._ _

__Jesse watched their movements in the reflection of the glass case, and considered his options._ _

__“You look perplexed,” Sachiko observed in English with a small smile. Jesse turned and scratched the back of his head with a sheepish grin._ _

__“Well shucks, do I look that much like a tourist?”_ _

__“No,” Sachiko admitted. “But a local would know immediately to order the mille feuille. It is extraordinary.”_ _

__“Thank you kindly for the recommendation,” Jesse nearly reached up to tip a hat that wasn’t there. “Don’t suppose I could buy you one of those, now that I know what you want?”_ _

__“I am not sure that you’ve deciphered what it is that I want, Mr….?”_ _

__“Johnstone,” Jesse extended his hand. “Call me Matt.”_ _

__Sachiko eyed his hand for a moment before shaking it. “Sachiko.”_ _

__“Sachiko,” Jesse repeated. “Lovely name for a lovely lady. It looks like they have a quaint lil’ dinin’ area in the back, Sachiko, if you’d maybe like to–“_ _

__“You’d be more comfortable in my apartments, don’t you think?” Sachiko scrutinized his body closely. Jesse began to wonder sexual confidence was a family trait._ _

__“If that’s what you’re wantin’,” he leaned in suggestively. Maybe he would be able to bring Hanzo something better than just a slice of cake. Sachiko nodded, and gestured towards the door._ _

__They shared little conversation on their way to Sachiko’s apartment._ _

__“Nice place,” Jesse whistled. He walked towards the large glass doors that opened to a small balcony. “Got quite the view.”_ _

__“Thank you,” she nodded. “Not as nice as your hotel room across the street though, I imagine.”_ _

__Jesse turned and blinked. “Beg your pardon?”_ _

__“My cousin always did have an eye for fine things,” Sachiko explained. She made a motion, and the two guards raised their guns. She scrunched her nose in distaste. “You being the exception, of course.”_ _

__“Hey now, that’s not nice,” Jesse began. He took a step forward, and the guards did as well, forcing him back._ _

__“No, I’m not sure why he was able to settle for something so uncouth,” she continued, taking a step forward. Her guards advanced with her. Jesse took another step back onto the balcony, but his back was soon pressed against the railing. Sachiko stepped forward until they were just a breath away._ _

__“Tell me, will he mourn your death?” she whispered. “Perhaps he will be able to see it.”_ _

__“Yeah, that’s the plan,” Jesse whispered back. Dread dawned on Sachiko’s face just a moment too late. A scatter arrow soared past her, and her guards fell with barely a sound. Jesse drew his head back and snapped it forward, hitting the woman in the face. She screamed and fell back._ _

__“Don’t much like hurtin’ a lady, but for you, I’ll make an exception.” Jesse drew Peacekeeper and aimed it. “I figure you know what we’re after. You can hand it over, or I can take it from you.”_ _

__“Keep your filthy hands off of me,” Sachiko hissed._ _

__Jesse frowned and moved to unlock the door without lowering his gun. Hanzo was already on the other side._ _

__“Cousin,” Hanzo nodded._ _

__“Don’t you dare call me that you—“_ _

__Jesse winced at the length and severity of the expletives. “And you call _me_ uncouth?”_ _

__“She’s not wrong,” Hanzo shrugged._ _

__“Sweetpea,” Jesse protested with exaggerated hurt. Hanzo ignored him._ _

__“My mother’s kaizen, Sachiko.”_ _

__Sachiko reached into her kimono, still scowling. Jesse looked away until he heard the sound of the knife thrown at Hanzo’s feet._ _

__“Take it,” she hissed. “See how long you will be able to keep it.”_ _

__“Given your performance today, you’ll never see it again, I imagine,” Hanzo smirked._ _

__“When I get back to Hanamura…” she threatened._ _

__“And what? Tell the elders how easily you were tricked? How you lost to me because you enjoy your leisure? There are far more important things that you should be worried about keeping, cousin.”_ _

__The young woman paled, but the scowl never fell from her face._ _

__“I believe we are done here.” Hanzo turned to Jesse and nodded towards the door. “Always a pleasure, cousin.”_ _

__Sachiko’s strongly worded farewell followed them into the hall._ _

__“That was easier that I thought,” Jesse admitted when they had returned to their hotel room._ _

__Hanzo shrugged. “Keep in mind that she is not the Shimadas’ first choice as far as successors go.” Hanzo looked down to count on his fingers with a smirk. “Not even their fifth, actually.”_ _

__Jesse whistled. “You’ve been busy.”_ _

__“Yes,” Hanzo nodded, stalking towards Jesse until the man was against the bed. “And now I would like my reward.”_ _

__“Shouldn’t we be movin’?” Jesse sputtered before his brain shut down completely._ _

__“Let her come find us.” Hanzo continued to draw closer. “She did not have the foresight to bring more men, and her reputation cannot afford another loss to us so soon.”_ _

__“So…”_ _

__Hanzo darted forward to capture Jesse’s lips before he could speak the rest._ _

__\---_ _

__For the very first time, Jesse woke up to a soft breath on his chest brushing a slow rhythm against his chest, opened his eyes to find Hanzo pressed snuggly against his body. Jesse took in a sharp breath at the sight, never having seen Hanzo quite so soft, quite so relaxed. He reminded himself though that he had known this man for little over a week, and therefore hadn’t earned the right to feel so familiar to him. And yet, here he was, his heart playing with the idea that he had somehow earned Hanzo’s trust enough to allow for this moment, playing with the idea of waking up next to this man every day in this exact way. The daydream reached its inevitable conclusion when it arrived at its logical end—with Hanzo agreeing to join him in Overwatch, his team and family that included a brother Hanzo thought he had killed._ _

__Jesse pulled his hand back abruptly at the realization. He couldn’t allow Hanzo to make this decision without knowing that Genji was alive. While Hanzo was definitely difficult to read, the burden of his guilt was clear from the beginning. Jesse frowned, and reached out to brush at a lock of hair that had fallen across the archer’s face. Jesse definitely didn’t know Hanzo well enough to survive the impact of such news. As he continued to observe the archer though, serene and at peace, he knew the promise of being able to wake up to this every morning was worth any challenge, any obstacle._ _

__\---_ _

__They spent the better part of the day tying up loose ends within the city. Hanzo insisted they go to his favourite restaurant for dinner. Jesse managed to persuade Hanzo to purchase a pastry from the bakery he had been eyeing all week, and they returned to their apartment for it afterwards. While the day had passed much the same as any other, as they fell into that same sort of easy partnership that had been theirs from the very beginning, both men grew quiet as the evening grew later, knowing and dreading the conversation that was to come._ _

__“Thank you for your help,” Hanzo offered, picking up every last flake of mille feuille from his plate. He stopped just short of licking it clean, Jesse observed affectionately. They were seated side by side on the long chaise. “Perhaps you are correct.”_ _

__“Oh?” Jesse entire face lit up. Hanzo snorted at seeing it._ _

__“We make a good team.”_ _

__“So you’ll come with me?”_ _

__“That would not be wise.” Hanzo’s answer was instant, reflexive._ _

__"Looks like we were on the same side," Jesse pointed out._ _

__"My purpose is far more singular." Hanzo's voice had become tense. Jesse could hear the pain creeping at the edges, and his heart ached. He looked directly into those expressive brown eyes._ _

__"Just because it's singular don't mean you gotta do it alone," he offered a kind smile. Hanzo blinked at him several times in surprise._ _

__"You are serious," Hanzo realized._ _

__"Course I am. Wouldn't joke about something I'm as serious about as you." Jesse watched as a faint blush spread across his cheeks before he turned away._ _

__"Had I known you were such a romantic, I never would have bedded you," Hanzo muttered towards the wall._ _

__"Naw, sweetpea," Jesse begged. "Give me a chance."_ _

__Hanzo twisted again to face him. "You are not inexperienced," he said softly._ _

__"What now?"_ _

__"In this." The archer gestured between them. "What I mean is that you have done this before. With others."_ _

__"Yeah," McCree admitted. Why did he feel so guilty about it all of a sudden?_ _

__"There is no shame in pursuing pleasure," the archer assured him firmly. "But you are experienced. You are a black ops agent, and I am on the run, so you know how this must end."_ _

__"Just 'cause it's ended in the past, don't mean it gotta be that way in the future," Jesse countered. Once again, Hanzo's body language suggested that the gunslinger had caught the man off guard._ _

__Honestly, McCree hadn't expected Hanzo to be so gentle on the issue, nor had he expected himself to be so persistent._ _

__"One does not join a black ops operation lightly," Hanzo frowned. "It is not an organization that is easily abandoned."_ _

__It was Jesse's turn to book in surprise. That Hanzo had changed his argument almost suggested that the man was truly _considering_ the offer._ _

__"But regardless, I promised you an answer, I believe." Hanzo inhaled as though he were trying to draw courage from the air itself._ _

__"Hold up, darlin'," Jesse interrupted. It was now or never. "There's something I gotta tell you first."_ _

__Hanzo grew rigid, not expecting to be stopped, and now expecting the worse._ _

__Jesse frowned, but knew he had to continue. He reached forward tentatively for Hanzo's hand, not grasping it himself, but instead waiting for the archer to close the distance. Hanzo observed the gesture, eyes flickering up to evaluate Jesse's expression. Finding what he needed, he reached forward to put his hand onto Jesse's, to the gunslinger's relief._ _

__"You know that I know 'bout you and your family, given my line of work."_ _

__Hanzo nodded once curtly. "I expected as much."_ _

__"This'll be a sore subject, but I gotta say it anyway—" Jesse continued, not breaking eye contact, determined to show Hanzo he was earnest._ _

__"My brother." Hanzo hazarded a guess. As he looked away, a mix of emotions flew across his face, none of them good. Jesse squeezed his hand._ _

__"Hey." He ducked his head down to fish for Hanzo's gaze. "This likely ain't what you think."_ _

__"Isn't it?" The archer's lips curled, but he could see that the anger wasn't directed at him. "Why would an institution like Overwatch wish to sully its name with—"_ _

__"Overwatch would be lucky to have you," Jesse cut him off. Hanzo's voice had been thick with self-hatred, and Jesse couldn't bear to have him continue, as it hurt his heart too much. "But I'm not Overwatch. I'm Blackwatch, and we know a thing or two about unsavory pasts. About redemption."_ _

__Hanzo flinched at this last word._ _

__"And if anyone has anythin' to say to you about it, they'll have to get through me first," Jesse found even the thought of someone accusing Hanzo of anything to be upsetting. "So no, it's not that."_ _

__Hanzo tilted his head up, genuinely curious. Jesse swallowed, and prayed he was doing this right._ _

__"Your brother ain't dead, Han."_ _

__The effect was immediate. Hanzo's entire body drew stiff, and his arms drew back, as though he were prepared to defend himself physically._ _

__"He survived. He's in Blackwatch."_ _

__There was a long silence, and Jesse managed to cram every anxiety into it._ _

__"Sweetheart?" He asked hesitantly, giving Hanzo's hand a squeeze. The man hadn't retracted his grasp, perhaps because he was in shock, but Jesse counted it as a minor victory anyway._ _

__"That is impossible," Hanzo answered at last. "I saw—"_ _

__He lost all colour before he could continue, and Jesse panicked, knowing exactly what Hanzo was reliving all too vividly at that moment._ _

__"Don't matter what you saw," he cut in, rubbing at the archer's hand with his thumb to bring him back. "He's alive, and he's fine."_ _

__"But the burns…" Hanzo faltered again. Jesse hesitated, remembering the heavily bandaged ninja that Gabe and Angela had wheeled in one day._ _

__"He's fine," Jesse repeated._ _

__"So there you have it," Hanzo tried to retract his hand. "I cannot come with you."_ _

__Jesse wouldn't let him, and tightened his grip. "No one said—"_ _

__"I *killed* him, Jesse," Hanzo interrupted, his voice as brittle as thin glass. "I can't...he can't possibly want to—"_ _

__"He didn't want to talk about you at all, for the first half a year," Jesse continued. "Anytime someone brought you up, he'd shut right down. First time he responded was when my commander asked whether you were a threat that needed to be dealt with."_ _

__Hanzo twitched again._ _

__"The look that he gave Reyes woulda killed a weaker man," Jesse chuckled recalling it. "Then he started talkin'. How you woulda handled a situation. How you taught him to hold that blade."_ _

__Hanzo's jaw tightened, and Jesse back-pedaled._ _

__"Sure, he's a moody lil' shit, but he's never said one bad thing about you. When he heard you might be at the Yakuza meeting, he just about bust a circuit with worry."_ _

__"Bust a circuit?"_ _

___Shit._ _ _

__Jesse bit his tongue. He _definitely_ wasn't ready to talk about that. "Point is, he knows you've been tryin' to do right. More recently, he's just…sounded like he's…missed you." _ _

__Hanzo remained silent. Jesse waited patiently._ _

__"I don't deserve—"_ _

__"Wouldn't be a man alive if we all got what we deserved, sweetpea," Jesse cut in again. "Can't say I deserve the second chance I got either, but I figured that just means I gotta work harder. To be worthy of it."_ _

__There was another long pause. "Were you never taught that it is rude to interrupt?"_ _

__Jesse grinned, the wry tone filling him with hope._ _

__"Someone's gotta stop you from thinkin' those silly thoughts."_ _

__Hanzo huffed, but said nothing._ _

__"You've been tryin' to make this right. What better way than to fight beside him?"_ _

__Hanzo was staring at their hands joined together in Jesse's lap._ _

__"It's your choice, honeybee," Jesse offered gently. "But no matter what you choose, I got your back."_ _

__"How would you. If we were to go our separate ways?"_ _

__The question and the delicate tone with which it was delivered shocked Jesse into silence. His chest tightened at the thought of losing contact with Hanzo. The archer must have felt the same._ _

__"I'm not sure I know," Jesse admitted. "But I'm resourceful. We'll find a way."_ _

__Something in Jesse’s words must have resonated, as the lines in Hanzo’s body relaxed, if only slightly. He nodded, lips still turned downward._ _

__“I will need some time,” he replied at last._ _

__Jesse nodded. “’Course.”_ _

__He tightened his grasp on the archer’s hand._ _

__That evening, Jesse wasn’t certain he would be welcome in Hanzo’s bed, given the news he had just delivered. He stood hunched, leaning on the door frame, rubbing at the back of his neck._ _

__Hanzo, already under the covers, raised an eyebrow. “What are you waiting for?”_ _

__“If you want some space tonight, I’d underst—“_ _

__“I am getting cold,” Hanzo interrupted with a frown. He shifted the blanket to invite Jesse under it. “And do not like to be kept waiting.”_ _

__Needing no other encouragement, Jesse scrambled into bed, drawing the blankets around them tightly. Jesse tentatively reached to touch the side of the archer’s waist, as a question. Hanzo huffed._ _

__“Come,” he commanded, drawing Jesse into his arms so that their bodies were flush. Jesse hummed happily as he snuggled into Hanzo’s warmth. Hanzo returned the embrace with similar enthusiasm, and they both quickly fell asleep._ _

__\---_ _

__The next morning, Jesse was struck by that same fear he’d felt the first day when he woke up alone. What if this was the result of Hanzo’s decision? What if he’d never see the man again?_ _

__There was something unacceptable, something completely devastating about that conclusion._ _

__Hanzo must have felt the same though, as he was sitting at the kitchen table when Jesse entered._ _

__Jesse beamed. “Mornin’, darlin’.”_ _

__Hanzo grunted, pushing a mug of coffee across the table. Jesse stopped to press a kiss on Hanzo’s head before sitting down across from him._ _

__They sipped from their mugs in silence._ _

__“I will come with you. To see him,” Hanzo offered finally. “I owe him that much.”_ _

__Jesse’s heart nearly leapt out of his throat. He jumped up to wrap the archer in his arms impulsively. Hanzo’s body tensed on impact, but gradually softened into the embrace._ _

__“But I cannot infringe upon the new life he has made for himself. On his new friends,” Hanzo drew back to continue, frowning down at Jesse’s chest. “If he wishes for me to leave, I will do so.”_ _

__Jesse grasped both of Hanzo’s hands in his own._ _

__“Alright. If that’s the case, we’ll make it work from there.”_ _

__Hanzo tilted his head up, brow furrowed in confusion. “I cannot understand you sometimes, Jesse McCree.”_ _

__“Oh?”_ _

__“Your persistence in this matter. How you can want to be in my presence despite only knowing me for several weeks. Despite my past.”_ _

__Jesse had known Hanzo long enough to tell that there was something vulnerable in his voice. He wrapped his arms more tightly._ _

__“I don’t much like judging a man by his past,” Jesse pressed a kiss to the side of Hanzo’s neck. The man tilted his head to give him more space to do so. “And presently, you’re makin’ the same foolish decisions, followin’ me back to a black ops organization to meet some ghost you thought gone, despite only knowin’ me for several weeks. I’d say we’re meetin’ half way.”_ _

__Hanzo huffed, and sound that was equally fond and frustrated. Jesse found he really enjoyed hearing it._ _

__“Very well. Tell me more about your organization. And about my brother.”_ _


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hanzo arrives at Gibraltar. Jesse didn't forget to mention anything, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone,
> 
> Thank you so much for the kind comments and kudos! I hope that you enjoy the second chapter of this sequel as well. There are a few notes that I'll include at the end (so as to avoid spoilers). As always, I love hearing what you think! Thank you for reading! <3

Several days later (Jesse had been promised two weeks, after all, and he was determined to spend as much time off with Hanzo as he could, while they had the time), Jesse radioed Reyes to indicate that they would be arriving the next day. They packed up what little they were travelling with, and made their way to Jesse’s jet. Jesse mentioned the day before that Genji had required cybernetics, and Hanzo seemed to accept the news with less shock. McCree figured that the second fact couldn’t possibly overcome the idea that his brother was alive at all, but still worried about how Hanzo might react when actually seeing the cyborg ninja. 

Hanzo had fallen silent as soon as the landing gear was snapped into place, in their descent to Gibraltar. 

“Hey,” Jesse tried to catch his eye before the door opened. Hanzo looked up with a frown. “It’ll be alright. You’re here with me.” 

While the worry on Hanzo’s features did not lessen, he nodded, and reached forward himself for Jesse’s hand, to the gunslinger’s surprise. Jesse took it and gave it a squeeze. They let go as the door opened. Reyes and Genji were waiting for them in the hangar. 

“Boss. Genji,” Jesse greeted both with an easy smile. He made a point though to stand between Hanzo and his fellow agents to try to preserve a safe distance for the archer.

Gabe took a step forward, his eyes already evaluating Hanzo as the man stepped off the jet. Hanzo was doing the same. 

“McCree,” Reyes nodded. “You must be Hanzo.” 

Hanzo nodded curtly. His eyes darted to fix on Genji. The younger Shimada was wearing an oversized hoodie, and had tucked himself into it as far as he could go. While Jesse had seen Genji do this before, he knew that the ninja only did so on days where he felt especially conscious about his body, and it made his heart ache.

Jesse knew from experience that both Shimadas could be difficult to read. In finally seeing each other after so many years, it looked like they were both putting up every last defense in their arsenal. 

“Genji,” Hanzo offered, his voice stiff. 

“Brother,” Genji returned, not moving in the slightest. 

Reyes waited to see if either man had any other words. After an intense, but awkward silence passed between them, he motioned for them all to follow him. 

“You are not going to confiscate my weapons?” Hanzo inquired.

Reyes shrugged. “No point. By that, I mean if you tried to attack, you wouldn’t get far.”

“It means he trusts you,” Jesse leaned in to translate under his breath.

“No, it means I trust _you_ ,” Gabe corrected him. 

“Aww, boss.” 

“And that you’ll face the consequences if Shimada goes rogue,” Reyes added with a smirk. 

Jesse feigned a wounded look. 

They arrived at a small conference room, but all decided to stand, despite the chairs. 

“I figure there’s a lot that we could be saying to each other right now, and we both got a lotta questions,” Reyes began as soon as the door closed. “But none of that gets in the way of why you’re here, so I’m just gonna get to the point first. You’re here to see about joining us.” 

“Correct,” Hanzo nodded. Jesse beamed.

"Alright. That’s fine. I trust McCree’s instincts about you. You join up, you're one of ours," Gabe advanced on him. Hanzo didn't flinch. "But if you hurt either one of my boys—" 

"Without consent," Jesse added before he could stop himself, just so Hanzo knew that the rope thing from last time was okay. 

Everyone turned to stare at him. 

"For fucks sake, McCree," Genji muttered, raising both hands to his face. 

Jesse wondered whether he'd need stitches after Gabe was done with him. To his surprise, and evidently Genji's, judging by how high he jumped, Reyes’ laughter echoed through the entire room. 

"You really did a number on him, didn't you, Shimada?" 

"Hey now, it's not...like...that," Jesse's retort died on his lips when he caught the smoldering, purely possessive look that Hanzo was giving him. The asshole had the gall to smirk afterwards.

Even Genji snorted at Jesse's discomfort. He said something to Hanzo in Japanese, and they both began to snicker before remembering themselves and stopping awkwardly.

Jesse took solace in the fact that entertainment at his expense was something that the two of them could agree on, at least. 

"End result's the same," Reyes shrugged. "And if you're knocked down a few pegs because of it, I'll count it as a bonus. Good work, McCree." 

Jesse was about to retort, but Hanzo cut in first. 

"Good work?" He repeated mildly. 

The three Blackwatch agents stiffened. 

"What work was it that McCree did good on?" 

No one dared answer. 

Hanzo turned his attention again to Jesse, eyes narrowed. 

"Because I am here at your request, am I not? Because _you_ want me to be?" 

Jesse swallowed, mouth gaping like a fish drowning on air.

" _Shit. Goddammit, McCree, he's not here because of the offer, is he?_ " Reyes muttered in Spanish, lifting a hand to his face. 

"No, I'm not," Hanzo replied, voice crackling with a subtle anger. 

Gabe and Jesse turned to each other, then back to the archer. 

"My brother is skilled in several languages," Genji offered belatedly. He seemed almost amused. Jesse could have strangled him. 

Gabe and Jesse both tried to speak at once. 

"Look, Shimada—" 

"Honeybee—" 

"It's quite alright." Hanzo's voice did not allow for argument. "I am here nonetheless, am I not? Commander Reyes, I trust there are quarters I might use? I would like to rest. Please send me the details of your _offer_ so that I might make a more informed decision."

The way Hanzo sneered at that word shattered Jesse's heart. He tried again, stumbling forward for Hanzo's hand.

"Darlin', it's not like that—" 

Hanzo jerked his body just out of reach.

"Isn't it?" He challenged. 

Jesse had no answer. 

"If there are no quarters I might use, then I wish to take a walk," Hanzo turned to Reyes brusquely. 

Reyes crossed his arms. "I can't have you wandering alone." 

"What I am saying, and what you are not understanding, Commander Reyes, is that I would like to be in any room but this one right now," Hanzo's voice was dry, and dripping with condescension. 

Reyes bristled. He drew himself up to full height.

"Given the circumstances, you get a free ride on that comment," Gabe growled. "But don't ever try that tone with me again." 

Genji snorted again, and Reyes shot him a glare that would have melted through steel. The younger Shimada was unfazed. 

"Get Captain Amari to escort your brother on his walk," Reyes snapped at the ninja. 

When Genji's eyes stopped rolling, he met Hanzo's gaze. They shared a moment of insubordination through their glance, and the brothers began to smirk, as they were once again unconsciously drawn together by some old, unspoken bond. Jesse's chest felt lighter in seeing it, until he saw that Hanzo was now avoiding his own gaze completely. 

He watched the sliding doors close behind the brothers.

"Stop that," Reyes snapped. 

"What?" Jesse shot back, irritation getting the better of him.

"You look like a kicked puppy." 

"Why’d you have to go and say that to him?" McCree was still angry. 

"I assumed, logically, that you'd asked him on Blackwatch's behalf." Reyes wasn't backing down. "Because *that* was the mission I sent you on. Shit, McCree, you managed to tell him that you're working with the brother he thought he murdered but forgot to tell him the offer was from Blackwatch?!"

Gabe was right. Jesse's shoulders slumped. 

"I fucked up, didn't I?" His voice was muffled into his hands.

Reyes grunted. "Then fix it."

McCree looked up mournfully. 

Gabe frowned. "You think Morrison gives me the time of day when I fuck up? That's part of it. You gotta earn the right to talk to him again." 

Jesse doesn't look convinced. "We're not like that though. We're not… together." 

"Oh really?" Gabe challenged. "You think he agreed to come with you just because the sex is so good? You think he’s pissed off right now because he doesn’t care?" 

"Kinda." 

"Holy shit, McCree," Reyes pulled at his face with his hand. "Fix it.”

“But—“

“GO!”

\---

Two hours later, Jesse had failed miserably in his attempt to approach Hanzo, and was drinking in sullen silence by himself on the cliffs overlooking the beach. 

“That went better than expected.” 

He was embarrassed when the voice caught him off guard, even though it was not the first time Genji had managed to do so. 

“Laugh it up,” Jesse muttered, taking another swig of bourbon. 

“I am not laughing,” Genji sat beside him. “I did not expect him to be so open to the idea of joining Blackwatch.”

They sat silent for a split second. 

“You were about to take the joke about me making him open—“

“Yes, and then I didn’t for a reason,” Genji snapped with a shudder. He extended his arm, and Jesse handed him the bottle. Genji removed his faceplate and took a long, desperate drink.

“Thought I was the one who was upset?” Jesse raised an eyebrow. 

“You are. I’m just…bracing myself for what I am about to do.” 

Jesse shifted just an inch so that he would be able to roll off the ledge were Genji to attack. 

“No, not that,” The ninja rolled his eyes. “Just…do…you want to talk?”

Jesse blinked. “You sure you wanna open this can of worms?”

"McCree. You are my friend. My best. Sometimes my only. So, just…try." Genji's eyes were still angled in a frown, but his words sounded genuine. 

Jesse tilted the brim of his hat up, and considered his answer. "I've just never felt this way 'bout anyone. When he's around, my heart just about beats outta my chest. He could tell me to follow him into a pit of vipers and I would." 

Genji nodded for him to continue. 

"And I've messed up a whole lot in my life, but nothin' as bad as this, it feels. Hell, I'd take every bullet I'd ever faced all over again, all at once, if he'd just look me in the eyes like he used to, if he'd just use those hands of his and—" 

"Okay. Okay!" Genji looked like he was going to vomit. 

"Okay," the ninja muttered one more time, as if to ground himself. He sighed. 

"When Reyes said my brother gave you his number, I thought you had the wrong man." 

"What? Why?" 

"My brother is not the type to do such things," Genji answered. "He does not seek repeated encounters. He has little use for lasting relationships." 

"Oh." Jesse's heart sank. 

"But don't you see?" Genji continued with impatience. "The fact that it was him, that he endured your presence for two weeks—" 

"’Endured' ain't the word you're lookin' for," Jesse frowned.

"—and followed you just because you asked," Genji ignored him. "That all means something." 

"So…" hope began to bloom in Jesse's chest.

"So?" Genji prompted. 

Jesse broke into a wide grin. "You're suggesting I go chase down his hot ass and—" 

"Just because we're friends does not mean I will not cut you," the ninja growled in warning. 

"Okay, okay," Jesse took a step back, still smirking. 

"Go. And promise me we will never have to have talks like this ever again." 

\---

Unfortunately, Genji *knew* Hanzo, and therefore knew that Jesse would not be able to speak privately with his brother unless Hanzo actually allowed it. 

It was why he was taking a second long, desperate drink from the bottle of bourbon that he had refused to return to McCree, taken as payment for what he was about to do. 

He scowled at the door to the temporary quarters that Hanzo had been given, as though it were at fault. Taking a deep breath, he rang the buzzer. 

The door did not open right away. Athena would have announced his arrival, and Genji figured the delay must have been caused by Hanzo himself, deciding whether or not to let him in. 

A few moments more, and the door slid open.

Hanzo stood rigid, arms by his side. 

“Genji.”

“Brother.” 

Another pause. 

“May I come in?”

Hanzo took in a sharp breath as though he meant to answer, and stopped himself, reconsidering. “Yes, of course.” 

He took a step back. Genji followed. The door closed with a mechanical snap, causing them both to twitch.

They stood in silence again. 

“Yes?” Hanzo asked with some impatience. Genji nearly smiled, recognizing the tone from their younger days. He knew though from back then to get to the point. 

"The cowboy is genuinely in love with you." 

Hanzo’s eyes widened. He had not been expecting this. To be fair, Genji himself wasn’t sure why he chose to lead with these words. He had felt it in the conference room though: having Jesse bear the brunt of explaining that he was alive and that he was what he was had been a relief. And his brother’s affection, although rare, was also genuine. Perhaps this was the way through which they might mend.

At the same time, Genji watched as his brother’s defenses snapped into place in a way that was also all too familiar. 

"I have no reason to trust you," Hanzo huffed.

"And I have even less reason to trust you, yet here we are," Genji snapped back.

Hanzo frowned, and crossed his arms. 

"And why _are_ you here, Genji?" 

"To make sure that you don't ‘kill first, ask after’ for a second time." 

The look of pure devastation that fell across Hanzo's features suggested it was too soon for that kind of comment. Genji adjusted his approach. 

“You let him see you again. Gave him your real name. Followed him here. Why?”

Hanzo hesitated, still shaking off the shock of his brother’s previous words. When he did continue, his voice crackled with bitterness. “I thought perhaps, for once, I would allow myself something that I wanted.” 

It was Genji’s turn to be at a loss. He thought back to their youth, to how he had been written off as the wayward son, but how as a result, his transgressions meant nothing, and were expected. He remembered the steel in Hanzo’s eyes from even a very young age, the unyielding expectation that his desires would never matter, could never matter in light of the clan’s needs. In the years following Hanzo’s attack, he had often thought back, first with anger, then with guilt, about the way things had been.

“I should have seen earlier,” Genji’s voice softened. “What they were doing to you.” 

“The fault is mine.” 

“Not everything is on your shoulders,” Genji scowled. “Not every burden is yours alone.” 

“And yet it has been. For a long time.” 

His brother’s voice was weary, beaten down like Genji had never heard. It reminded him again, despite the anger he had been carrying for so long, that Hanzo had gone in search of the clan afterwards, had hunted them down on his behalf.

“Not anymore.” Genji realized that Hanzo needed to hear it directly from him. He took a step forward. “Join us.” 

Hanzo looked at him curiously. 

“Fight with us. Let us share the burden. Let me share it, like I should have long ago.” 

Hanzo looked away.

“I told the cowboy that I would come to see you because you deserved as much, but also that I would not outstay my welcome. This is your life now. I could not take that away from you. Not again.” 

Genji blinked. “That’s new.” 

“What?” Hanzo’s looked up sharply. 

“Shimada Hanzo, heir to the Shimada clan, never felt the need to explain himself, or to give ground,” Genji pointed out with mocking grandeur. 

Hanzo snorted. “Shimada Hanzo, heir to the Shimada clan, was a dick.” 

They looked at each other for a moment before bursting into laughter. 

“He said you missed me,” Hanzo said finally, after they had calmed down. 

Genji furrowed his brow. “I suppose I have, brother.” 

“I should not have…what I did…”

“I know,” Genji said simply when Hanzo was unable to find the words. Hanzo blinked at him.

“I…did not realize—“ Hanzo began before pausing yet again. 

“What?”

“…your face,” Hanzo tried again, looking downward. “That I had caused such damage.”

Genji only noticed then that he had forgotten to replace his visor after drinking. He scrambled to do it now.

“But I prefer to see it,” Hanzo added hastily, seeing the action that he had caused. 

“So that you can continue to wallow in your guilt?” Genji sighed with some impatience. 

“No. So that I can remind myself that it is truly you.” 

The silence that followed was far less tense than all those before it. Genji lowered his arms without replacing his visor. 

“I think, we might have much to discuss that does not involve the cowboy,” the ninja answered at last. 

Hanzo nodded. 

“But for the time being, I think you should admit that maybe you should talk to him.” 

Hanzo’s scowl was immediate. 

“—as it appears that in meeting him, you’ve finally been able to talk to me,” Genji finished. 

Hanzo remained silent. 

“I wonder what our conversation would have been like if you’d not met McCree first. If I had not,” Genji hummed with thought. “You are a different man now, brother. Whether you like it or not.” 

Genji always knew when an argument was in his favour, even though Hanzo would never admit it. Hanzo was giving all the signs to indicate this now: his arms were crossed, his head ducked down, his face twisted into a pout. Genji chuckled. 

“Perhaps sooner rather than later. McCree will want to drink away his sorrows. And even I might not be able to talk you out of killing him if he’s had one too many.” 

Hanzo frowned. “Commander Reyes ordered that I stay in this room.”

“You will find that Commander Reyes orders many things,” Genji looked down at his gauntlet of shuriken listlessly. 

Hanzo caught on right away. “You might tell him that three hidden cameras are excessive.” 

“Yet still not enough for the likes of us,” Genji pointed out. 

They shared a look as the word ‘us’ shocked them back into older days. Hanzo removed a mini-EMP device from his boot and set it off, disabling the cameras. 

“Your AI?” Hanzo inquired. 

“Athena. Sensory blackout in room A513. Blackwatch code Alpha Wilco 69.”

“Sensory blackout initiated. You have ten minutes.”

“It’s always ‘69’ with you,” Hanzo rolled his eyes. 

“Makes it easy to remember,” Genji protested. “Now come on.” 

Hanzo nodded, hesitation melting in the face of the task. 

“Let’s go.”

\---

Jesse hadn’t believed Genji’s message, that his brother was waiting for him on that grassy hill overlooking the ocean, but was glad that he had decided to check anyway. 

“Hey there,” Jesse tried. 

Hanzo turned ever so slightly to acknowledge his arrival before turning back to the water. 

As he hadn’t been chased away, Jesse pushed his luck and sat down a small distance from the man. He waited. 

“Genji suggests your fondness for me might be genuine.” 

“And what do you think?” Jesse asked cautiously, not wanting to press too hard. 

Hanzo seemed to consider the question for a long while. 

“You never hesitated,” Hanzo finally spoke his answer to the sea. “Knowing who I was, what I’d done. You never hesitated in your feelings.” 

“Not once,” Jesse confirmed. “Not ever.” 

“Even though you are close to my brother.” 

“He’s one of my best friends,” Jesse acknowledged. “And I’d be the first to gun down any threat against him.” 

Hanzo drew himself stiff at this reply. 

“But I never found threat in you,” Jesse continued. “Hell, after the first day, I forgot to look.” 

Hanzo chuckled softly to himself. “With agents of such skill, I can see why Reyes is recruiting.” 

“Hey now, don’t sass me,” Jesse retorted playfully. 

Hanzo continued to stare at the light glimmering off the surface of the water. 

“Why do you want this?” Hanzo turned to look at him curiously when he finally did speak again. 

Jesse heard the unasked question. 

_Why do you want me?_

“I don’t rightly know that I can explain,” Jesse admitted. “I just know that since we first met, the idea of being without you is terrifying, and I don’t scare easy.” 

The archer huffed another soft sigh. Jesse reached across the gap between them to fish for his hand. To his delight, Hanzo allowed their fingers to intertwine. Jesse leaned in slow, as though he were trying not to scare the other man away. Hanzo watched him, but did not move as he inched closer. 

"Stay with me," Jesse murmured onto his lips. 

"Is it you asking?" Hanzo asked, voice wavering with rare vulnerability. "Or Blackwatch?" 

"Me," Jesse's voice cracked. "S'always been me."

He paused, his heart beating wildly in his ears as he waited to see if Hanzo would close the gap himself. Hanzo’s eyes darted down to Jesse’s lips before returning to his eyes. He took a short breath before darting forward so that their lips met. 

Jesse slid backwards from the sudden impact, and fell to his elbows as the archer practically mounted him in his enthusiasm. They enjoyed kissing each other breathless, the lust from before now tinged with something new and extraordinary.

“I think it’s about time I showed you my quarters,” McCree drawled when they parted for air. 

“No,” Hanzo’s smile became predatory. 

“What now?” Jesse blinked at him. 

“No,” Hanzo repeated. “Right here.” 

“Oh.” 

Several thoughts immediately began to jostle for control in Jesse’s head. On the one hand, they were not hidden at all from plain view. Anyone who walked close enough in their direction would get to see far more than they wanted, and Jesse really didn’t want to test Gabe or Genji’s patience any further than he’d already tested it. 

On the other hand, the danger itself made the idea really, really hot. 

Hanzo was also making it hard to say no. The archer leaned forward again, eyes lowered. 

“I’ll even let you choose this time,” he purred into Jesse’s ear. 

“Top please,” Jesse answered right away, not fully aware that he’d spoken out loud. 

Hanzo’s smile softened. “What a good boy,” He purred. “As you like.” 

Hanzo didn’t make any motion to get off of McCree, however. He slid back so that he had room to work at Jesse’s belt. Jesse reclined eagerly to give him more space. 

Hanzo hummed, fingers deftly taking off the belt buckle with which he was already so familiar. 

“I knew these clothes were a good choice,’ Hanzo leaned in to whisper into Jesse’s ear while running his hands shamelessly over his chest. 

He undid several of the buttons near the bottom of Jesse’s shirt for good measure, so that he could grope at his torso. Jesse shuddered as the archer’s hot breath tickled the side of his neck, before the soft lips latched onto the skin there. Hanzo tugged at Jesse’s pants, and the gunslinger moved so that they could be pulled down. 

Jesse reached out blindly to grab at Hanzo’s clothes. The archer impeded him in his own enthusiasm to help, and eventually retracted his hands so that Jesse could continue. 

Hanzo left Jesse’s lap long enough to lose his own pants, and to grab the bottle of lube and pack of condoms from the pocket. 

Despite his early eagerness, once he had Jesse in his hands and the condom applied, his movements slowed to a teasing pace, and he pumped at Jesse’s cock with a gentle reverence. 

Jesse whimpered into their kiss, and he could feel Hanzo’s lips into that devious smile he loved so much. Jesse reached for the lube himself, and coated his own fingers, before ghosting his fingers over Hanzo’s dick. The archer inhaled softly against his lips. He pushed himself up and off Jesse’s body, and Jesse’s fingers slid down to caress the side of his thighs, moving backwards to pet at his entrance. Before he could ask permission, Hanzo had pressed himself down on his two fingers with a sharp gasp.

Jesse darted forward to kiss the long column of neck that Hanzo left exposed by throwing his head back, moving his fingers smoothly and with practiced familiarity, just the way the archer liked it. 

“Honeybee, you feel so nice,” Jesse hummed against Hanzo’s chest, as his lips kissed for whatever skin he could reach. “Whatever I did to deserve you musta been mighty special.” 

Jesse could feel Hanzo’s muscles tense under his touch. The archer drew back, and Jesse scrambled apologize for whatever offense he committed. He was surprised to find not anger in Hanzo’s expression, but an odd softness. 

_Affection._ Jesse realized, his own heart singing at the thought. 

“I am the one who does not deserve you.” 

Hanzo shifted forward so that he was positioned above Jesse’s hard and ready cock, and lowered himself down slow onto it. 

It was Jesse’s turn to gasp, as the archer gradually, carefully took him in, his eyes fixed on the gunslinger the entire time with that same, tender look. 

Hanzo took his time at first, moving almost painfully slow as his lifted himself off Jesse’s body. Jesse leaned back, on his arms, so that he could thrust upward, but found it difficult to establish a steady rhythm, settling instead for pushing upward with neither finesse nor skill. 

It didn’t seem to bother Hanzo, who didn’t even need his help at all. He began to ride the gunslinger in earnest, lifting his own body with his powerful legs until and slamming himself down without mercy, and Jesse saw stars. He fell backwards onto the grass, grasping forward to search for Hanzo’s cock. Hanzo huffed, and guided him with his own hand. Jesse couldn’t be blamed for not lasting long, and he came with a long groan. Hanzo didn’t let up, flashing his teeth as he chased his own release, which came soon after. 

Hanzo fell down on top of Jesse’s reclining body, and nuzzled at his neck. Jesse gave a happy sigh. 

He only remembered their precarious location when he heard the base doors open at a distance. 

Jesse sat up with a start, scrambling for his clothes. Hanzo also adjusted his own clothing, but seemed far less concerned. 

“Are you ashamed?” Hanzo’s voice was amused, but Jesse didn’t want to take a single chance. He shook his head adamantly. 

“Ain’t no one I’d rather be caught with, darlin’,” Jesse grinned. 

“Good.” Hanzo sat up to look towards the base. The coast must have been clear. He flashed the gunslinger a wry smile of his own. “Then you won’t mind going again.” 

“Wait what.” 

\--- 

“And then he slid out from under the table and snarled, ‘Reach for the sky!’ Right under her skirt.” 

Reyes walked into the common room to find Genji reenacting his least favourite moment from their last mission. Jesse was bent over laughing, and Hanzo was hiding his mouth with one hand. 

“She screamed and kicked him in the face.” 

“For the last time, Shimada, I don’t sound like that,” Gabe growled. 

Jesse spun quickly and had the decency to look abashed. The two brothers moved more slowly, exchanging a smirk before wiping the subordination clear from their faces with matching innocent looks of attentiveness. 

“New mission.” Reyes noted with some relief that all three of his agents sat up at attention when hearing the phrase. “Meet in Conference Room 3 in two hours for the briefing.” 

Jesse shot him a mock salute and a goofy grin. The Shimada brothers gave him a single, identical nod. Hanzo’s eyes slid slideways to meet McCree’s.

Jesse blinked. Gabe caught the archer’s meaning first, but McCree wasn’t far behind. 

“We have preparations to attend to,” Hanzo announced smoothly, standing to offer the room a quick bow. 

Genji groaned and hid his face in his hands. Reyes noticed that his visor was off, which was unusual. Genji muttered something in Japanese, and his brother gave some wry response before turning for the door. 

Jesse scrambled to follow, as though drawn by a magnet. 

“Two hours,” Gabe hollered after them. “Don’t embarrass me.” 

“That goes for you too,” Reyes added pointedly to Genji. 

The ninja just glowered at him. 

They stood at a standstill. 

“So your brother…” Gabe trailed off, praying that Genji would fill in the blank. He did. 

“It will be difficult. But I am glad to have him at my side.” 

Reyes nodded, inwardly relieved. “Alright. If he ever gives you any trouble—” 

“He won’t,” Genji interrupted. “He would rather die.” 

The bluntness of the statement made Reyes uncomfortable. He wasn’t very good at reading the ninja, and couldn’t tell whether it was meant as a joke. Something suggested that regardless of whether it was or not, there was a kernel of truth to it anyway. Reyes frowned. 

“Should I be worried about him? About you? Both?”

The cyborg’s eyes glowed a brighter red, but some of the tension eased from his expression. 

“It is gratifying that you would concern yourself at all.” 

Gabe saw the thanks, and waved it off gruffly. 

“I care for my own.” 

“As do we,” Genji nodded, and stood. “Although our way of showing it is…unconventional at times. Still, I am glad that you have taken us in.” 

Genji flashed him a shit-eating grin. “It is good to have an excuse to cause some trouble.” 

As Genji disappeared into the shadows, Reyes rubbed at his forehead, realizing he was in desperate need of an aspirin. 

He made his was to Morrison’s room so that they could make their own “preparations” for the mission briefing, and hoped he wasn’t walking into a conversation with his lover that ended in another smug “I told you so”. He couldn’t help but wonder again whether he had just made a big mistake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because I still think about this AU a bit too much:   
> \- My theory is that something *worse* must have happened after Blackwatch that caused Genji to go to Nepal. Sure, he must have been angry right away, but why not go to Nepal right away then? I think it might have something to do with Uprising and the fall of OW.   
> \- Along those lines, I have at least one more idea about where this world would go, but I don't think my heart could take it.   
> \- I love the idea of dad!Gabe talking awkwardly to the son he doesn't quite understand (but who he still loves).   
> \- Poor Gabe. Now look at what you've gotten yourself into...  
> Thanks again for reading! <3

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you again for reading!  
> Come chat on [Tumblr!](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/fireflyquill)


End file.
